


"Sweaters"

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas Ficlets, Fluffy, M/M, and mistletoe mAYBe, and shipper sam, stupid nerds with swEATERs, watch these assholes fall in love yet aGAIn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-08 00:05:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5475557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>part of the deancas christmas minibang that i'm doing on tumblr</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Sweaters"

**Author's Note:**

> i tried

       “Sam, we never had proper Christmas growing up,” Dean says as he helps Sam drag an oversized fake tree into their living room, “why does it suddenly matter so much now?”

      “That's the whole point, Dean,” Sam replies, breathing heavily from the exertion. “After all that stuff with dad you’re finally in college and we’re finally living together. Why shouldn’t we celebrate?”

      “Sam it’s not even that close to Chris—”

      “Dean,” Sam says exasperatedly, still clutching the tree.  “we’re decorating our apartment for Christmas and that's final. Now are you gonna help me or not?" Dean looks at Sam’s face then hangs his head in resignation.

       “Fine,” Dean mutters “but if all of your ‘decorations’ are this heavy we’re gonna need some help."

       “Why don’t we just ask one of your friends?” Sam asks, an idea forming in his head. Dean gives his brother a withering look.

       “I’m a transfer who just got here who lives with his brother off campus. I don’t have friends.”

       “Dean you’ve been here for months,” Sam replies. “Besides, I thought you and Cas were getting along pretty well.”  Sam smirks as he sees a pink blush tinge Dean's cheeks. Dean mumbles something about tinsel, then rushes off, dropping his half of the tree on the floor. And as Dean races out of the room, Sam knows exactly who to invite over to help them decorate tomorrow.

/o\

       “Sammy, what the hell is this?” Dean asks as he stares at the green monstrosity currently in his hand.

       “It’s a Christmas sweater.” Sam says flatly.

       “But yours looks decent,” Dean says, gesturing at the tasteful red and white design with moose on it that Sam is wearing. “This is just tacky.” He continues, pointing at the snowflakes and the sequins on his sweater.

       “It’s about getting into the Christmas spirit!” Sam exclaims. “Also if you don’t, I’m banning burgers in the apartment.” Dean looks at his brother, scandalized.

       “You wouldn’t.”

       “I would,” Sam says firmly. “If it meant you were having an amazing Christmas, I would cross that line, Dean.”  Dean is tempted to just roll his eyes but he can tell that his brother is being serious. Reluctantly, he slips the sweater over his head. “Excellent.” Sam says, beaming.

       “Now why don't we start with the decorations around the fireplace.”

        Half a dozen boxes and a few hours later, Dean hears the doorbell ring.

       "Sam?” Dean calls. “Were you expecting anybody?” Sam, conveniently, doesn’t respond, so Dean saunters over to the door, unsure of what to expect.

       “Hey, wel—” Dean’s train of thought dies as soon as he sees who’s at the door. “Cas?”

       “Hello, Dean.”

       Dean uses the last functioning brain cells he has left to usher Cas inside the apartment. He insists on taking Cas' coat and bag, not only as a nice gesture but also as an excuse to duck into the small hall closet and hide the redness blazing across his cheeks. Of course, Dean thinks, the one damn time I wear the dorky sweater, Cas shows up. Great. Just great. When Dean returns from his closet adventure, Sam has mysteriously reappeared and is chatting amiably with Cas. Dean almost convinces himself that the tiny pang he feels in his heart isn’t jealousy, and enters the conversation with a brave face.

       “You didn’t tell me we were having company over, Sam.” Dean says, attempting to be casual. Cas is fairly certain that he sees Dean step on Sam’s foot, but doesn’t say anything.

       “Well, Dean,” Sam says, struggling to keep the tone in his voice even. “after you suggested that we might need help decorating yesterday, I asked Cas to stop by after his last class to help us out.” Dean looks at Cas with apprehension as the other man offers a warm smile. “Glad we sorted that out then,” Sam says, clapping Dean on the shoulder. “I’m going to be putting up some décor in the kitchen, but if you and Cas could put up some garlands and wreaths that’d be great.” Dean opens his mouth to protest, but Sam stops him. “The box they’re in is the big one in your room.”

       “But—”

       “Holler if you need anything!”  Sam calls, already making his way towards the kitchen. Dean still can’t believe the audacity of his brother, but he currently has more important things to worry about, namely the incredibly hot guy standing just a few feet away.

       “Are you ready to get started, Dean?” Cas’ eyes are so wide and hopeful that Dean can’t help but upturn the corners of his lips.

       “I guess you didn’t get the dorky sweater memo.” Dean mentally slaps himself for his unrelated comment, and hopes to god that he doesn’t start blushing even harder. Castiel, on the other hand, simply tilts his head to one side.

       “I don’t think your sweater is ‘dorky’, Dean.” Cas looks Dean up and down, reappraising the sweater once more. “It’s a nice shade of green. Like your eyes.” Now it’s Castiel’s turn to mentally berate himself for speaking before thinking. Dean is too shocked to do anything but blurt out

       “I’ll grab the box, and we can start with the main hallway.” Dean can’t even help the grin that splits across his face as he turns around to go to his room. He unfortunately also can’t help that he doesn’t see how fondly Cas looks at him as he leaves the foyer.

/o\

       Dean can’t even tell how much time has passed as he and Cas begin putting streamers up on the living room walls. He stopped counting the minutes after the first time Cas laughed at one of his jokes. He started hoping that the minutes would count in reverse when Cas didn’t think that his engineering major was lame. He hoped that time would stop when he heard Cas describing his biology major, talking about bees with such passion and light. But he truly loses all sense of time, when Castiel grabs his hand.

       “Dean?”

       “Wha?” Dean is suddenly pulled out of his musings, quite literally as Castiel brings him over to the couch.

       “I’m going to pin one end of this garland to the wall here.” Cas says, pointing to the seam between the wall and the ceiling “But I need to stand on the couch in order to reach it. Can you just make sure I don’t fall?” Dean gulps at the responsibility Cas is giving him, but refuses to show any fear.

       “Of course.” Dean shivers slightly as Cas scales the couch, but steels himself. Dean feels his breath hitch slightly as he sees Castiel sway a little bit, but breathes a deep sigh of relief as the garland is finally pinned and Cas has returned to solid ground. “Can I do the other end?” Dean asks, not wanting to endanger Cas again. “Sure,” Castiel starts  “I—” Cas’ sentence is cut off as he slips on the hardwood floor. Dean’s reaction is instantaneous, and Castiel is suddenly caught by a pair of strong arms. “Thank you.” Cas breathes, focusing more on the closeness of Dean’s lips rather than his own words.

       “I promised you I wouldn’t let you fall, didn’t I?” Dean can feel the warmth of Cas’ breath on his face and helps the other man stand up right before any lewd thoughts can cloud his mind. “I think that’s maybe enough decorations for today.”

       “Maybe.” Cas says. And in that moment, Dean swears he can see the faintest trace of a blush on Castiel’s cheeks. He only hopes that he’s not seeing things and (even though he will deny it to Sam), wishes that Castiel will return to the apartment tomorrow.

       The next day, however, Sam doesn’t mention anything about Cas coming over again and Dean is secretly  very disappointed. Sam doesn’t even bring up decorations again, other than mentioning that the tree still looks a little barren.  Even when Dean willingly puts the Christmas sweater back on again, Sam doesn’t comment, simply asking if Dean knows where their ladder is. When Dean asks him why he needs the ladder, Sam waves off the question and goes to use the ladder for something in the entrance hall.  Confused, but frankly, not surprised, Dean shakes off his brother’s behavior, and settles in for a nap on the couch. And if trench coats and dark hair paint the images of his dreams, Sam really doesn’t need to know.

       Dean is awoken from his nap by the ringing of the doorbell. Dean is about to holler for Sam when he notices a note on one of the couch cushions.

gone to get eggnog, back later

-Sam

       Dean raises his eyebrows, remembering the last time that Sam drank eggnog, but then the doorbell rings again, bringing him back to reality.

       “Alright, alright, I’m coming.” Dean calls as he makes his way to the door. “What do you wa—” Dean short circuits as the door opens to reveal Cas, yet again, and this time wearing a sweater of his own.

       “Sorry if I took you by surprise, Dean.” Castiel says “Sam just asked me if I could come over to help finish decorating the tree.”

       “Your trench coat.” Dean says, surprised that he can even form a coherent thought. Castiel looks down at his sweater, blue with white stripes and snowflakes.

       “You mentioned the sweater dress code yesterday.” Cas replies solemnly. “And this was the most christmasy thing I could find in my closet.” Dean can’t help but laugh, both at Cas’ seriousness but also that Cas would remember. Because he’s Cas, Dean thinks.

       “Well why don’t you come in then?” Dean beckons Cas inside. After closing the front door, he leads Cas down the hall the living room.

       “Sam’s actually doing a grocery run but I’m sure we can mana—”

       “Dean.”

       “What?” Dean follows Castiel’s pointing finger to see a sprig of mistletoe, neatly taped onto the doorframe leading into the living room. So that’s what Sam needed the ladder for, Dean thinks ruefully. He looks back at Cas again and sees the other man gazing at him thoughtfully, almost as if with anticipation. As usual, Dean mouth moves faster than his mind and soon words are coming out at 50 miles per hour. “I know it’s tradition and everything, but I mean we don’t know each other that well I understand if you don’t wanna do it I mean I don’t even know if you’re into dudes. Are you into dudes? Because I mean I’m into dudes and chicks but I don’t wanna assume.” Cas tries to raise his hands in a placating gesture but Dean just keeps going “And you know obviously if you’re uncomfortable that would really suck because you’re a great guy and I really wouldn’t mind but—” Dean’s words die, unspoken as Castiel presses a quick kiss to Dean’s cheek.

       “I don’t mind either.” Cas whispers. And as Dean looks deeply into Castiel’s eyes, he can’t help but think that if this is what Christmas is like, I wouldn’t mind it being Christmas all year long.


End file.
